Newport Beach Film Festival announces winners

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Smudge the seal and John Bell as Tomás in "A Shine Of Rainbows"(2009), which was the Irish Spotlight at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. Bell won the jury award for best actor at this year's film fest.

A scene from "Runaway," an animated film directed by Cordell Barker. The movie won the jury award for best short animated film at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival.

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"Mount St. Elias" won an audience award for best action sports feature. The film tells the story of three ski mountaineers who try to descend Mount St. Elias in Alaska. It was directed and produced by Gerald Salmina.

"Living It Forever," made by Newport Beach residents Rick and Ann Chatillion, won the Orange County Filmmaker Award at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. Their documentary tells the story of kids surfing off 22nd Street in Newport Beach during the 1960s. Some of them went on to become surfing professionals.

A scene from "Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale," which won an audience award for best family film during the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. The movie, which played on April 24, made its U.S. premiere at the festival.

A scene from "Dark Light," a short documentary directed by Neil Leifer. The project won the jury award for best short documentary film at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival.

"Bouncing Cats" won an award for outstanding achievement in documentary at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. The film follows hip hop dancing in northern Uganda, and was directed by Nabil Elderkin.

A scene from "Below the Beltway," which won the audience award for best feature (U.S.) at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival.

A scene from "Baker Boys: Inside the Surge," a documentary about an army infantry battalion in Iraq, won an audience award for best documentary during the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. The movie screened last Friday at Edwards Island Theatres in Newport Beach.

A scene from "Ana's Playground," a short film directed by Eric D. Howell. The film played Wednesday in a "Tensions of War" series at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. The movie about children surrounded by armed conflct won the jury award for best narrative short film during the festival.

A scene from "Bride Flight," which won five major awards at the 2010 Newport Beach Film Festival. The drama about Dutch women who emigrated from Holland to New Zealand after World War II won best feature film, best actress, director, cinematographer and screenplay. The film festival concluded Thursday night.

The 11th annual gathering concluded Thursday night with record-matching attendance, a well-attended screening of “Letters to Juliet,” a closing-night party and award winners chosen by a jury and audience members.

“Bride Flight,” a drama about Dutch women emigrating to New Zealand after World War II, was the big winner, nearly sweeping the major jury award categories, including best feature film, best actress (Karina Smulders), director (Ben Sombogaart), cinematographer (Piotr Kukla) and screenplay (Marieka Van Der Pol).

Child actor John Bell won the jury award for best actor for his role in the fest’s Irish Spotlight, “A Shine of Rainbows.” Other jury awards were: “Jean Michel Basquiat” for best feature documentary; “Dark Light” for best short documentary; “Runaway” for best short animated film; and “Ana’s Playground” for best narrative short film.

More than 51,000 people attended this year’s festival, matching the record set last year. That’s a 21.4 percent increase over 2008, when 42,000 people attended.

“I’m extremely pleased, looking at the feedback we’ve gotten from our audience,” said Gregg Schwenk, CEO and executive director of the festival. “We are excited about being out in so many different locations here in Newport and beyond.”

Indeed, this year’s fest expanded to Sage High School in Newport Beach, Regency South Coast Village, an art-house theater across from South Coast Plaza, and a number of restaurants and venues in Irvine.

During its eight-day run, the festival screened 365 films from 47 countries. Several films sold out, prompting the festival to organize second screenings of many movies.

This year’s budget was $450,000 to $500,000, not including in-kind contributions exceeding $1.2 million and about 60,000 hours of volunteer efforts. Schwenk said he expects a small surplus to help the nonprofit organization carry on through the summer, which is typically lean.

Next year’s festival will probably take place during the same week in April, Schwenk said. That would be April 21-28, 2011.

“We’re figuring out what’s the best way to serve our audiences and our community,” he said.

Other award winners were announced Friday:

“Below the Beltway” won the audience award for best U.S. feature;

“Starring Maja (Princess)” won the audience award for foreign feature;

“Baker Boys: Inside the Surge” won the audience award for documentary;

“Mount St. Elias” won the audience award for action-sports feature;

“Elle: A Modern Cinderella Tale” won the audience award for family film;

“Wings of Silver: The Vi Cowden Story” won the audience award for short film;

“Journeyman Architect: The Life and Work of Donald Wexler” won the audience award for art, architecture and design.

Outstanding achievement in filmmaking honors went to the following: “The Wild Hunt,” “World Peace and Other 4th Grade Achievements,” “Suck,” “Elektra Luxx,” “Barry Munday” and “Christina.” A humanitarian award went to the documentary “Burzynski.”